"It's not about what you know, it's about who you know."
We've all heard this at one time or another. Some benefitted and others fell victim to the concept of networking. Whether it's going out for drinks with the managers or to a lunch to meet new investors, networking is an essential aspect of moving up the career ladder.
The notion of networking holds true on the web for webpages and their SEO standing. Link authority, or the acquisition of hyperlinks and placing them a website, is the way companies network themselves with other accredited websites.
Building a Foundation
"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
You can't tell me you haven't heard this one before. Link authority is a touchy subject for SEO, and if the wrong approach is taken the consequences can be inimical. Connecting with highly desired links is not as simple as sending an email and calling it that. Producing high-quality links is a difficult and painstaking task, attributing the high-price attached to the work that has to be put into obtaining them. If done correctly crawlers will rank your site higher in SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages). On the other hand, if poor-quality links are all you're after...well you've heard the saying, right?
Trust
"To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved."
-George MacDonald
As in relationships, creating trust is pertinent when establishing link authority. Crawlers search the legitimacy of your links as well as the people on your website trying to find out more information. They've put their trust in you to lead them in the right direction out of the places they could have gone in the entire world wide web. Why cheat them of their innocence with a lackadaisical cluster of links? Spam links occupy as much as 60% of some webpage's links. Give the people and the crawlers what they want and they'll love you and trust you.
Popularity
"There are few cases in which mere popularity should be considered a proper test of merit..."
-Edgar Allen Poe
In this case, Poe, popularity means a whole lot in link authority; in fact, popularity is one of the main tests of merit in regards to ranking link authority. In tandem with the idea of trustworthiness, the more popular or important a site is, the more links attached to that site matter. Usually when a site gains popularity it means that it is doing something right thus driving a lot of traffic. If your site is included in the same group as a popular site, your site will gain popularity merely by association. You don't have to be the most popular link of the bunch, just make sure that you hang around them that's all.
Freshness
"Out with the old and in with the new."
Let's look at recycling links like buying bananas. When you first get them from the store maybe they're all green with a little bit of yellow on them. After a little bit of time goes on the full yellow-ripeness sets in and you have your fill of delicious, fresh bananas. Time passes and the left over bananas start to get brown spots, are a little slimy, and are attracting fruit flies so you decide to throw them out and get a new batch of green-yellow bananas.
There are two parts to this analogy to point out. Fortunately, links have a longer shelf life than bananas. On the other hand, links unfortunately cost much more than bananas do. However, what is important is the concept of learning when to recycle old links. Having old and out of date links attached to your site shows a lack of initiative to go out and find the freshest material for crawlers, setting you back in SERPs, and the public to be on top of the novelist information out there.
Conclusion
"Link building (authority) is among the top tasks required for search ranking and traffic success."
-Rand Fishkin and Moz Staff
Whether you're starting a new company or have a sustained business, SEO and link authority are aspects that you don't want to overlook. A time consuming task, establishing link authority for a business is a top priority for SEO companies. Make sure your old links are recycled and replaced with credible, reliable links. Networking your business to desirable areas of the web, whether they are the most popular or credible, is a traffic-driving and SERP ranking factor you shouldn't pass up.